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NBA Picks

NBA Picks: Pistons Offensive Game Will Slow Down Tired Wizards

The Pistons and Wizards hook up tonight from Washington, DC, and the Wizards come into the game as a -2 favorite, with a total of 208½. Who will be our NBA pick?

Wizards Being Overvalued Continues
For some reason, and I can’t put my finger on it, the sportsbooks have continued to overvalue the Wizards not only this season, but even recently. Washington comes into tonight losers of five straight games both SU and ATS, and while John Wall is a super star level talent, Washington doesn’t have much help for him right now. Bradley Beal has been out off and on for most of the season, and even though he is listed as possibly ready to play tonight, he has yet to practice, so temper your expectations tonight even if he does play.

After really coming on at the end of last season, Otto Porter has hit a 12-foot brick wall this season and has been horrible since the All Star Break. Marcin Gortat is good, but at this stage of his career he can’t go out and give you 20 points and 10 rebounds every game, especially at this point of the year after he has been carrying the Wizards frontcourt all season.

Tonight against the very balanced and dangerous Pistons, the sportsbooks are yet again overvaluing the Wizards, and it could be an excellent opportunity to take the points with Detroit, or even the moneyline, which is sitting at +120. The line has even went up from where it opened at -2 ½, so I am left wondering whether I am missing something.

Even if Beal plays in this game, Kentavous Caldwell-Pope has proven to be one of the better defenders from the point guard position. Andre Drummond is going to destroy the Wizards on the glass and in the paint, and Reggie Jackson can at least get close to matching Wall at the point guard spot. Needless to say, neither the books or sharps know what the hell they are doing with this one, and I am taking the points.

The Sharp Pick
The Pistons are coming into this one winners of seven of their last 10 games both SU and against the NBA odds, and them taking points in Washington, DC tonight looks like a steal of a value. The Pistons have gone 4-3 ATS in their last seven road games heading into this one, while the Wizards are not only losers of their last five straight, they are 8-11 ATS this season as home favorites.

Detroit on the other hand is 21-17-1 ATS this season when playing against the East, and they are 5-2 ATS in their last seven conference games. The Pistons rank inside the top 12 in the league in both Offensive and Defensive Rating, which only about six other teams can claim this season. Washington on the other hand has been awful defensively during their recent losing streak, giving up 111 points per game in their last five contests.

While Detroit’s defense has been somewhat sporadic over their last five games or so, their starters matchup very well with what the Wizards have been trying to do this season, The Pistons can play fast, or they can slow it down on offense and make the Wizards defense, which as we’ve seen, is a good recipe for teams wanting to beat Washington. Take the points with the Pistons in this one, and add it to your NBA Picks.